1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire module, having a plurality of terminal-assembled wire members insert-molded therein, and the present invention also relates to a method of producing this wire module.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-48072, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
When terminal-assembled wire members are insert-molded with a resin material, there is a possibility that the resin material (flash) intrudes into terminals through front ends thereof in the case where these terminals are of the female type. Therefore, there has been encountered a problem that the quality of the molded product is adversely affected.
Therefore, there has been proposed a method in which terminals are inserted into a connector housing to provide a connector, and this connector is insert-molded with a resin material.
However, in the case where the connector housing is not of the waterproof type, there has been encountered a disadvantage that the resin material leaks from a rear side of the connector during the insert-molding operation.
On the other hand, in the case where the terminals are of the male type, there is no chance that the resin material (flash) intrudes into these terminals through front and rear ends thereof.
However, when it is necessary to effect the insert-molding in such a manner that those portions of wires, disposed adjacent to the terminals, are bent into an L-shape, there has been encountered a disadvantage that the wires are displaced out of position during the insert-molding operation. In the worst case, there is a possibility that such displaced wires are sandwiched between molding dies.
With the above problems in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wire module in which the leakage of a resin material and the wire sandwiching engagement of molding dies are prevented when terminal-assembled wire members are insert-molded in the resin material. Another object is to provide a method of producing this wire module.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wire module which comprises a terminal-assembled wire member including a wire and at least two terminals to which opposite end portions of the wire are connected, a wire circuit member including an insulative covering layer by which the terminal-assembled wire member is partially covered, and at least two molded connector members formed respectively on opposite end portions of the terminal-assembled wire member.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the insulative covering layer covers at least parts of the molded connector members.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the case where the terminals are of the female type, preferably, each of the molded connector members comprises a connector housing in which the end portion of the terminal-assembled wire member is inserted, and a terminal holder attached to a terminal-inserting side of the connector housing. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that the connector housing is of the waterproof type, and includes a waterproof wall which is formed in a bulged manner on an outer peripheral surface of the connector housing, receiving the terminals therein, and extends in a direction away from the terminal-inserting side.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the case where the terminals are of the male type, preferably, each of the molded connector members comprises a terminal-erecting holder which fixes the wire and one of terminals of the terminal-assembled wire member. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that the terminal-erecting holder includes a frame body of a U-shaped cross-section, a plurality of terminal press-fitting holes formed through a top wall of the frame body, and wire holding grooves formed in a free end of one of two support walls of the frame body.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a wire module which comprises the steps of connecting female terminals to opposite end portions of a wire to form a terminal-assembled wire member, inserting opposite end portions of the terminal-assembled wire member into connector housings molded of a heat-resistant resin material, insert-molding the connector housings with a resin material which is different from the heat-resistant resin material of which the connector housings are molded, and molding the terminal-assembled wire member with a resin material to form an insulative covering layer which covers the terminal-assembled wire member.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the method further comprises a step of attaching terminal holders respectively to terminal-inserting sides of the connector housings.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the molding step includes covering at least parts of the connector housings with the insulative covering layer.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the connector housings are of the waterproof type, and each of which includes a waterproof wall which is formed in a bulged manner on an outer peripheral surface of a housing body, receiving the terminals therein, and extends in a direction away from the terminal-inserting side.